Dear Highland Families:
Welcome to the 2023-34 school year! As we get closer to the first day of school, people are filled with excitement, anticipation, and questions. I hope you find the information included in this newsletter informative and helpful. You can expect to receive the Highland Happenings Newsletter every other Monday with lots of important information and updates. These newsletters will always be posted on our website.
There is a lot of important information below, please read carefully!
I am looking forward to a fantastic school year: The Eagle Story – Let’s Fly High in 2023-24!
In Partnership,
Susan Thomas
Principal
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Wondering about the Daily Schedule, Advisory, Tutorial, Lunch, Lockers, and more? Check out the Frequently Asked Questions page.
6th grade WEB Orientation
6th grade WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) Orientation will be on Tuesday, August 29th from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Students should be dropped off no later than 8:50am and go directly to the Highland Gym. During this time students will get to meet their WEB leaders who are 8th grade mentors. They will also meet some of our teachers and staff, take a campus tour, learn a little about middle school, and most importantly make new friends and participate in fun team building activities.
Open House/Taking Care of Business Day
This event will take place on Tuesday, August 29th from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Families can stop by any time. This will be particularly beneficial for new-to-Highland 7th and 8th grade students. More information can be found here.
School Meals
BSD Nutrition Services offers Breakfast and Lunch for students.
Set up payment for student meal purchases. Nutrition Services uses PayPAMS for online payments for school meals. Families may also pay for meals by check or cash at school. For more information, visit the Nutrition Services page or call (425) 456-4507.
Free and Reduced Price Meal Application.
After School Activities, Clubs & Sports
- Activies begin the week of September 11.
- Extracurricular activites are available to all Highland students. Participation in these activities enriches the middle school experience. Activies offered are based on student interest. Some activities or clubs meet only once a week, while others meet daily. Most activities meet from 3:10 – 4:00 pm. Information will be distributred about the various sport and non-sport actitives available for each activity session through the year.
- Activies & Club schedules can be found on the Highland website here. Updates are coming soon.
- Registration for 2023-2024 school year sports and activities opens on September 1st. Families must complete registration forms in advance for participation in sports, activities, and field trips. Middle School athletics do NOT require physicals. https://bsd405.org/departments/athletics-activities/middle-school-athletics-activities/
- An Activity Bus is available at 4:10 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Curriculum/Back-to-School Night
Curriculum/Back-to-School Night is scheduled for Thursday, September 21. More information will be coming soon.
Suggested School Supplies
Click here to see the suggsted supplies to begin the school year. BSD schools will not require students to purchas any required school supplies for the 2023-24 school year. All students will be provided with a binder and subject dividers.
Student Schedules
Draft student schedules will be available online through Synergy StudentVUE and ParentVUE portals by September 1. Student schedules may continue to shift as we work to balance class sizes and will not be finalized until September 5.
See https://bsd405.org/departments/district-technology/grades-attendance/ (also has instructions to activate ParentVUE account).
Paper copies of final schedules will be available the first day of school, in the Commons.
School Calendar
See the 2023-2024 Bellevue School District Family Calendar here: 2023-2024 Family Calendar – Bellevue School District (bsd405.org)
Annual Online Student Verification & Attendance Policy Agreement
Update student information through the online student verification process beginning August 23, 2023. Synergy ParentVue provides parents and guardians with the ability to view the student assignments, grades and attendance. When logging on to update student information in August, a prompt will remind parents/guardians to acknowledge the yearly attendance agreement.
Current BSD Families:
Make sure to update your email address and the language you prefer to receive messages. This will ensure you are kept up to date throughout the year about district news and events.
Emergency Contacts
Please update your emergency contacts in Synergy ParentVue . More information on emergency contacts and emergency school release can be found on the student reunification process page.
Bus Routes
Tip: Students should write down their bus route numbers and home address, and keep this with them for the first few weeks of school.
Highland Activity Routes (Does note begin until week of September 11)
Questions about bus service? See Transportation – Bellevue School District (bsd405.org) or contact the BSD Transportation Office at 425-456-4512.
Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures
Goal: Safely and efficiently drop students off in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon through a systematic process.
For the safety of our students, please:
- Drive SLOWLY
- Manage technology (no cell phones, please)
- Demonstrate respect and patience toward all
The right lane (curb) will always be the drop off and pick up. The left lane is “thru” traffic. Please follow the guidance of the traffic attendants.
Drop Off
- Please pull forward, do not stop in the middle of the passenger loading zone.
- Watch for students crossing.
- Cars should pull completely forward and utilize the full length of the passenger zone.
- If you need to get out of the car, pull into a parking spot for continued traffic flow.
Pick Up
- Watch for students crossing.
- Cars should pull completely forward and utilize the full length of the passenger loading zone.
- If you need to get our of the care, pull into a parking spot for continued traffic flow.
Join the Highland PTSA
Every Child Needs a Champion. Ampliy our Collective Voice. Become a PTSA Member!
Today, PTSA’s role is more important than ever in connecting parents, teachers, and administrators, and supporting critical school needs. We want every family in our school to join PTSA becasue we can do more together than apart.
- Single Highland PTSA Membership is $12
- 2+ Highland PTSAA Memberships $20-$50
- Sponsor a Staff Membership $10
Membership is open to anyone interested in the health, safety, and edcuation of children regardless of school boundaries. Parents, students, relatives, staff, community supporters can all be PTSA members.
Highland PTSA enjoys a supportive partnership with Highland staff in our combined efforts to improve our school and enhance the educational environment for our students.
Attend the BSD Health Fair
In partnership with state and local partners, BSD will hold health fairs on Wednesday, August 30 and Thursday, August 31. The health fairs will offer immunization clinics to students in preparation for the start of the 2023-2024 school year, as well as information about community agencies, overdose awareness (watch a video shared by Superintendent Aramaki in July about this topic.), internet safety and resources from physical and mental health providers. The fairs are free and open to the public. Immunization appointments are required. Please note, COVID and flu vaccines are not currently available.
BSD nurses, athletics and activities, and technology departments will be on-hand to support families, answer questions and provide resources. Partner organizations will also be in attendance, including: Washington State Department of Health, Youth Eastside Services, International Community Health Services, and Safeway Pharmacies.
Two Options:
Wednesday, August 30
- 4:00-7:00 p.m.
- Chinook Middle School, 2001 98th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
- Sign up for an immunization appointment.
Thursday, August 31
- 4:00 -7:00 p.m.
- Odle Middle School, 502 143rd Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98007
- Sign up for an immunization appointment.
Highland Health Center
The Highland Health Center is a School-Based Health Center (SBHC) located right here on Campus that provides basic primary care in partnership with a school, providing a safe and confidential space for students to access comprehensive healthcare without leaving school, thus minimizing time away from class. Data shows that SBHCs reduce barriers to learning, improve classroom attendance rates, and help students become more engaged and proactive in taking care of their own health.
At Highland Health Center we offer a wide breadth of no-cost medical, behavioral and dental health including health education services for all Highland students. To learn more about all the services we provide please click on About the Highland Health Center for more information.
*This is different than the Nurse’s Clinic in the main office.
Commitment to Nondiscrimination
Bellevue School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:
Civil Rights, Racial Discrimination, and Gender Expression or Identity Discrimination:
Civil Rights/Nondiscrimination Compliance Coordinator Nancy Pham, (425) 456-4040 or [email protected]
Sex-based Discrimination, including Sexual Harassment: Title IX Coordinator: Jeff Lowell, (425) 456-4010 or [email protected]
Disability Discrimination: Section 504/ADA Coordinator: Heather Edlund, (425) 456-4156 or [email protected]
Mailing address for all three: 12111 NE 1st Street, Bellevue, WA 98005.